It's June !!!

......and this is the month when we will meet our little Milana (after more than a 3 year wait) and Dahlia will finally get her little sister! Well - actually we will receive her picture and finally know who she is - travel will likely be later in the summer.

So, a little walk down memory lane is in order. The following is the first e-mail I wrote after receiving Dahlia ( our long awaited first daughter {the delay was short then, it was us who were delayed.....but, that's a whole "nother" story} ).


DAHLIA’S GOTCHA DAY – November 8, 2004



(My first e-mail I sent from the hotel office in
Changsha, Hunan, China, after receiving Dahlia.)


Well...........Joy unspeakable!!!!! As I write this, Dahlia is in my lap staring
at the screen – all fascinated! (Any spelling mistakes are hers!!!)

We picked up the babies at 11 this morning. Dahlia was the first to
walk in (yes....walk!) and I knew her instantly. By the time all the babies
were in (17 of them) with nannies and parents - sheer bedlam broke out.
And the scream fest began.

When they handed Dahlia to me she was crying (I think she may be an
opera singer - what a set of lungs) - actually we were both
crying - and I just cuddled her and softly sang to her in her ear (“Nature boy”
only I changed the words). She stopped crying - WOW. She just clung
to me and cuddled and sniffed and only cried if I stopped singing.
What a doll!!!! She is so beautiful I almost can't take it. I just can't believe
they are giving her to us. I love her so much I think my heart will burst.
(Shhhhh..............she just fell asleep in my arms.)

And guess what? She likes me...............she's so cuddlely and clingy and
soft and spongy..........I'm chopping on her cheek right now.

And what cheeks. She is really big and healthy with great color and
beautiful eyes !!!What a doll. Sorry if this is too much for some of
you.............I just can't help it. Just a few more details. She took her bottle,
had some crackers and then had a great poop!! Pretty good for the first
day. (Ahem......Dahlia was the first to have a poop in the group!!! Big news.)

We called her Daddy on the phone (I’ll explain below) as soon as we got back
to the room and she gave a good cry for him. Tash, I can't wait for you to meet
your new sissy. And everyone......prepare yourselves to fall head over heels.
This little gift from God is a blessing for everyone!!!!

I'll write more later. Love to all

Wanda (Dahlia's mommy)

P.S. She's still asleep in my arms...actually my arm is asleep too (LOL)

Daddy had to stay home and it broke our hearts. He had recently had a health issue and his doctors forbade him to travel. So Mommy went alone to pick up our sweetie. I was however, surrounded by “angels clothed in flesh” on my trip which made it so much easier. So for our second trip to China for Milana – the plan is WE ARE ALL GOING!!
(Ahem….God willing.)

Dahlia on Gotcha Day (Nov 8, 2004)

My head swims when I think we will soon be repeating this life-changing event (biggest adventure I can imagine) and this time I want to savor every moment. Hey, there's another positive for this agonizing wait. If I had returned for Milana when the timing was only a 6-8 month wait - I would have missed most of it 'cause I still had major baby-brain and now that I'm so brilliant and vibrant I can capture it all, fully there. (Anyone sensing some sarcasm here?)

Stay tuned - I'll be posting lots more on Dahlia's beginnings in the next while. I've got to get most of it done before the 2nd act begins. :-)